Window guard



Dec. 9, 1952 L. c. STUKENBORG WINDOW GUARD Filed Feb. 2, 19%0 m 0 2 2 V7 k4 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Zinnentor attorfiegs (cu/6L0. sums/woke Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW GUARD Louis C. Stukenborg, Memphis, Tenn.

Application February 2, 1950, Serial No. 141,940

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in window guards for preventing entrance to a building through a window, and has especial relation to guards which are readily installed individually in place, and as readily removed from within the building without the use of keys or tools to permit escape through the window in case of emergency, yet which cannot be removed from without the building.

Window guards are used to provide protection against access to buildings through the windows when open, but function to prevent exit from the building, which in emergencies, such as fires, may cause disaster. To minimize this, looks or other devices requiring the use of keys or tools have been provided as a part of the fastening means which release the guard and allow its removal, but absence of, or failure to locate the key or tool negates their effectivenessand value.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means for anchoring a window guard in place and its removal from within the building without the use of keys or tools, which means is readily operable at all times from within, but is inoperable from without the building.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification on reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view showing the guard installed in a typical window, with one modification of a limit member furnishing part of my'device installed.

II'II of Fig. l, with the lower sash blocked against full raise and the guard locking means blocked against operation.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional elevation on the the same line of Fig. 1 with the limit means removed and the lower sash fully raised, releasing the guard locking means.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1, showing a threaded sleeve forming part of the locking means engaging complementary threads on the upper strut of the guard.

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional plan taken on the line VV of Fig. 1 showing telescoping end of the lower strut of the guard.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational view of the limit member, shown in Fig. 1, which blocks full raise of the lower sash.

Fig. 7 is a plan view taken on the line VIIVII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line Fig. 8 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing an alternate form of limit member.

Fig. 9 is a similar elevational view partly in section, showing a further form of limit member or stop.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

Fig. 1 shows a typical window frame having side members l2, sill M and lintel I6, and the upper and lower sash l8 and 26. In accordance with the present invention, a guard 22 is mounted in the side grooves [2A, I2B of the frame in which the upper, and outer, sash i8 is mounted, the guard being in underlying relation to that sash and of height to prevent lowering of the sash.

The guard comprises horizontally disposed transverse upper and lower struts 24 and 25,

. convenient lengths of pipe which extend between the sides of the window frame and support a grill which may be vertically disposed bars 26 rigidly secured as by welding to the struts.

At one side of the window the struts 24 and 25 abut against an upright rail 28, to which they are preferably integrated as by welding, the rail being of width to lie in the groove [2A and preferably of height to extend from the window sill I 4 to the under side of the fully raised upper sash IS. The opposite ends of the struts 24 and 25 terminate short of a similar rail 36 disposed in the groove MB. The upper strut 24 is threaded to receive an internally threaded sleeve 32 which extends beyond the end of the strut into abutting engagement with the rail 36 and is held against vertical and lateral displacement by a stud 34, which stud is alined with the strut and rigidly secured to and extends from the sleeve-abutting face of the rail. The sleeve 32 is provided with a rigidly attached, laterally extending handle 36, through which the sleeve may be turned to tighten it against the rail 3?) and force the rails 28 and 30 oppositely into seating and guard retaining engagement in the grooves I 2A and [2B of the window frame; or it may be reversely turned to loosen and release the'rails from the grooves and permit removal of the guard.

The lower strut 25 is preferably unthreaded and slidably engages a sleeve 38 secured to and projecting from the rail 38 which prevents displacement of the lower strut 25 during tightening and loosening of the upper strut. The upper strut 24 is positioned in excess of the length of the handle 36 below the bottoms of the bottom rails 40 and 42 of the upper and lower sashes l8 and 20 respectively, when both are fully raised as shown in Fig. 3, so that the handle may be freely turned to screw the sleeve 32 along the strut 24 to efiect securing or removal of the guard.

To prevent removal of the-guard a removable stop is plaoedabove the top of the. lower sash which prevents raising of the bottom rail 42 of that sash beyond the swing of the handle--36. Where the lower sash is balanced by a counterweight, not shown, through sash cords M -which pass over pulleys 46 mounted..in the .window frame, raising is preferably limited by placing around at least one of the cords Mwaz 'stop block 48 having a hole 48A embracing the cord. .The block rests on the top of. the lower sash and moves upward therewith until it engages the pulley 46 stops the sash movement with the lower rail -12 of the sash below the-lower rail 46 of theupper sash, and in the path of movement of the handle,

preventing that handlemovementwhioh is necessary to turn the sleeve -32 and effect release and removal of the guard.

The-block Wis-conveniently made'of hard vulcanizedrubber, such as is used in automobile tire 'easingsyand is 'verticallyslotted at'48B to permit *itspla'cing around or removal from the cord.

Where windows'are not-equipped with'sash -cords a 'difierent type or stop must beemployed, which type may be used with windows whether having sash cordsor not.

sum a stop is shown in Fig. 8 and comprises a stoppin; or member, 5%!- which isremovably interposed between the top of-"the-sash and the ..-1intel--i6,' the' stop 50 bein 'carried-by' a socket 52 securedon the topof the sash-as by screws 54.

i The -soeket 52 obviously prevents full raising oi 'i-the sash even when the pin is'removed; and must be't'aken'into account inthe "positioning of the upper strut 24 of theguard and the length of the handle 36, which latter must clear the-bottom "rail fl'even though its'r'aise -be limited by the socket 52.

lin-FigQ, a further form of stop is shown which "comprises a block -5G-as of wood preferably of size-to snugly lit in either=of the grooves I2A or 12B -in'*which-the--sash 2i) is-mounted, andis of i-len'gth -tolimit the raise of the sash as does the stop '48 or thestopiifl. -'The block'may have up- *wardly and downwardly projecting points -58 whiclr'engage'theunderside of the window lintel *1 Gar'id the'top of the'sashrespectively, but in any -case' is'easily removable in case of emergency.

In somecases it is found that the window frame is notprovided with an'outer stile for retaining the upper sash 1-8, and noactual' grooves 12A, 12B exist inwhi'chthe'upper sash-is mounted. If de- -"sire'd the rails' 28 and 3e of the guards may be provided with sharpened, outwardlyprojecting points 'iifl, Fig." 1, preferably disposed above and 2' b'elowthe upper threaded' strut 2t, which points areiembedded in "the sides'of the-window frame .-.-by tightening of the 'threaded'sleeve 32 during installation-of the guard.

.yltzwillsbesnotedfthat the guard underliesthe flipper sashzxand prevents lowering of that sash to obtain access to, and removal of, the stops of either type.

=-It.-wil1-beiunderstood that the design and type jectingmember rigidly secured .to saidzsecond. rail,

Number of stop is illustrative only and may be varied from, and that changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided such changes fall within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim: 1. A window guard of the type which includes apairrof side rails and upperiand-dower adjustable length transverse. strutsfrespectiv'ely spaced below the upper, and above the lower ends of the- ;guard; said guard having an overall height sub--' stantially equalling the height of the window space to be guarded, and a said upper strut including a first portion rigidly secured at one end to a first of said rails and having its opposite end screw-' threaded and terminating in spaced rela- ..tion to the second of said rails, and a second portion threadedly engaging the threaded end of said firstportion and extending axially therefrominto abutting relation with said second rail, aj proturnably centering the abutting end ofsaidsec- 0nd strut portion, and an arm rigidly secured .to said second portionand extendinglaterally therefrom, said arm' bein of length to extend'into proximity to the. top of said guardi'but not therebeyond.

.2. A window guard in accordance with claim' 1 in which'said: side rails extend aboveian'd below an other. parts ofzsaidguar-d andfdeterminelthe .overall height of the guard.

. 3. -A' windowvguard' of .the: type whichincludes a; pair of side. rails and. upper. and lower. adjustable'length transverse struts respectively. spaced below the upper, and above the lower ends. oifthe guard; said guard having. an overallheightsub- 'stantially.equalling the heightiif the window 'space'to be'guarded, and a said .upper. strutinoludinga firstportion rigidly securedat. oneend .totafirst of said rails andhaving itsoppositeend externally screw threaded. and terminatin .in spaced relation to the second of said rails andan internally threaded. sleeveportion .engaging "the threaded en'd of-saidfirst portion andextending axially therefrom into abutting. rslationwi'thsaid second rail, a-stub rigidly. seoured to. said second irail turnably. engaging and centering .theyabutting end of said sleeve, portion, and an arm rigidly secured tosaid sleeve portion, and extendinglaterally therefrom,.said1. arm being -of...length;.to.- extend into proximity. to they topof .said guard. but

not therebeyond.

'4. "A window 'guardin accordancev withfclaimi 3 in which said arm is seouredtosaidjsleeve inadjac'ency' to the rail abutting end of said .sleeve.

LOUISCJSTUKENBORG.

sensations-siren The following references are, of. record-in the fileiof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS McDonald 'Ju-1 22,1947 

